Universal joint



Aug ,7, 1945- H. H. ABBOTT 2,381,096

l UNIVERSAL JOINT v Heeey H. 'faror n mf 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Au'g. 7, 1945. H. H. ABBOTT UNIVERSAL JOINT lledramv 15, 1944 Patented Aug. 7, 1945l UNITED` STATES PATENT- QFFICE 2,381,096 UNIVERSAL JOINT Harry unbbott, Coldwater, Mich; Application January 15, 1944, serial No'. 518,434

. cclaims.' (ci. ca -1i This invention relates to a universal joint and more particularly to a universal couplingybetween `two members which are designed for driving -ensagement despite angular variations. between the members. l

It is the object of 4the presentinvetion to provide a universal joint whichlis rugged and4 lasting and which effectively serves as a coupling between a driving and a. driven member to transmit the rotatlonal movement between on and the other with minimum amount of vibra ion.

It is a vfurther object of the invention to pro-` vide a universal joint having few parts which are economical to produce and easy to assemble.

It is a further objet 'of the invention to provide a universal joint which will act as aneflicient coupling between two transmission members despite the wearing of some of the parts i-nv the course of use thereof.

Other objects and purposes willappear from the more detailed description of the invention fol, lowing hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view with certain parts in elevation of one preferred embodiment of the invention, the sectional viewtaken along I-.I of Fig. 2; l

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig.- 3 is a front elevation of one of the coupling members;

Fig. 4 is a left end view of one portion of the intermediate cage shown in section in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the same portion of the cage, shown in section in Fig. 1;

units outlining the spherical s eat in the other.

one of the coupling members;

Fig. ,7 is a right end view of Fig. 6 with certain parts in section;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of thc complementa] portion'of theintermediate cage member cooperating with that portion of the cage member shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a right end view of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a different embodiment of the invention in the course of its asscmbly;

Fig. 1l is a top view of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 shows a universal joint including the parts of the coupling unit shown in Fig. 1l; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the locking sleeve the internal surface of the seat. Cooperating ing the objective oftransmitting the rotational movements of A-one to the other without vibration and despite angular inclinations of one withvre spect to the other. It may be assumed, for the s akeoi' the present disclosure; that the driven member is represented by shaft I having the" spherically shaped end l6 ,and the driving member is the shaft 2 having connected thereto the cylinv drical housing or casing 3 which isv externally' `threaded at 21. Within the housing 3 is formed a seat for the end 6 of the member I and this seat is formed by a pluralityof socket units 4 which combine to make up a spherically shaped female seat'vportion for themaleportion 6 of the member I; e i Y The socket unitsgl are flxedly disposed inthe housing 3 by the provision of a. key 5 between -oneof thesocket units and the housing, and the num'- berof these, .units 4 depend upon the number o f are additionally grooved at 1 to accommodate the travel of the steel balls as .the same rock along elongated grooves 9 .extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of spherical' end 6 of member I for seating parts of the spherical balls -8 are formed in the; end member 6. I'hese "grooves 9 extend parallel to the axis lof shaft I on" the opposite sides'of the transverse median line of the member 6 'to permit a rocking of the member I and a consequent rolling of the balls 8` within the grooves 9 and 1.

More than two balls can be used in the assembly, in which case the number of socket units wouldbe increased correspondingly so lthatan assembly having three socket units would utilize for maintaining the universal joint of Fig, 12 in place.

l In Fig. 1 is shown a universal joint adapted to three spherical balls and 'an `assembly having In order to provide a more perfect and lasting universal joint, an intermediate cage is provided between the' spherical seat formed b'y the socket units 4 and the spherically-shaped end 6 of member I. This cage is shown in Figs. 4, 5, 8 and 9 and is formed of two parts. The portion I6 is disposed over the end of member 6 in the course of the assembly oi the device. The complemental portion .of the cage is formed by-portion I1 provided with an opening 20 Afor -the shaft 'I. The complemental openings I8 and I9 in parts I6 and I1, respectively, form oval or slightly elongated openings to permit the extension of the ball members .8 therethrough as the same shift in position between parts 6 and 4.' A large number of openings 2I are provided in the `parts I6 and I1 for the purpose of receiving ball`bearing.. members 22 which serve to take up the' end thrust between the members I and 2 and in addition serve'to maintain the parts in operative position with minimum amount of vibration,

despite the fact that the grooves/W and 9 and ball members 20 to the open end 4b of thesocket units. This open beveled end 4b cooperates' with the beveled end' of the cover v26' to limit the relative angular movement between the parts- I. and2..

A cylindrically shaped cover 26, having' internal threads 21 thereon, is secured onto the housing .3 and is .locked inplacepby the provision of lock nut 25 cooperating therewith to maintain the assembly in closely integrated condition.

- While some of the advantages ofthe invenf tion may be realized without theuse of the small 'ball bearings 22, and by the use 'of the cage.

formed of parts I6 and I1 alone, it is preferred that as many as possibleoi these small balls be use'd to maintain the spacing between the members' 6 and 4. l

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs.. 10 to 13, the universal joint is assembled without the interposition of a spacing cage with ball bearings therein. Nevertheless, this em bodiment utilizes a socket formed of a plurality of parts in which the main anti-friction members ride in grooves formed in the adjacent edges of the several sectionsA of the socket.

' In Fig-.10 is shown a jig 30' disposed on a bench B forgthe purpose of receiving two of the annular segments 32, whereupon the lowermost ball 38 is disposed in the groove 39 preparatory to the setting of shaft member 3|' and the spherical end 3E in' place over the annular segy ments 32.

Thereafter, the remaining three balls 33' can be set intouplace as shown in Fig.. l0, which are covered by the remaining two annular segments 32. Thefdriving member 4 0, with its housing 4I is slipped overthe .tour annular segments 32 and are clampedt in. place by the engagement .ofthe locking cover over the threaded,

. endof said other'member and provided with. vopenings to accommodate said balls, and a plutween the members '3| and 4I, and further preventsthe escape of grease fromthe joint or the dropping of the balls 33 vfrom their race ways when the joint suers looseness on account of wear.

thereon. .Thereafter the housing 3 is slipped Y over the assembly and is closed by cover 28.

While I have described my invention as embodied inspecic forms and as operating in a speciic manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without 'departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set iorthin the annexed claims.

I claim:

1 if Apuniversal joint between' two members comprising an externally threaded integral housing connected to one of said members, a plurality of socket units abutting each other and fixedly mounted within said housing and shaped on the interior thereof to form a spherical seat for the endvof the other one of said members, said lastmentioned end formed as a sphere and provided with a plurality of vgroovesdisposed equidistantly around the axis of said member and extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of saidspherically'shaped end, said socket units also provided at their abutting surfaces with cooperating grooves overlying said iirst-mentioned grooves, a ball seated in each of said grooves, and an interiorly threadedvcover for said housing adjacent the end of said second member for retaining said socket'units in place.

'2. A universal joint between two members comprising an integral housing connected to one of said members, a plurality of socket units abutting each other'and iixedly mounted within said hous ing and shaped on the interior thereof to form a spherical seat for-the end of the other one of said members, said last-mentioned end formed as a sphere and provided with a'plurality of grooves disposed equidistantly around the axis of said .member with each groove extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of said spherically' shaped end, said socket units also provided at their abutting surfaces with cooperating grooves overlying said' first-mentioned grooves, a ball seatedin each ot said grooves, a spherically shaped cage intermediate said seat and spherical rality of ball bearings' in said cage for reducing the friction between said seat and said spherically 'shaped'enc'L l 3. A universal joint between two members comlprising an'integral housing connected to one of end of the housing 43',- and the locking is secured" by the turning up of the lock nut 44. A lubri` eating medium, such as grease, maybe introduced interne assembly through stang so.

The inwardly directed flange 41 on the lockingy member 43. 'cooperates `with the corresponding face formed `byjtheseveral socket units 32 to umn' the extent or. nie v movement bel said members, a plurality ofisocket units abuttingl each other and xedly mounted within said housingand shaped on the interior thereof to form a spherical seat for the end of the other one of said members, said last-mentioned end formed as a sphere and provided with a plurality of grooves disposed equidistantly around the axis ofsaid member with each groove extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of said spherically shaped end, said socket units also provided at their abutting surfaces with cooperating grooves overlying said first-mentioned grooves, .a ball seated in each of said grooves', a spherically shaped cage intermediate said seat and spherical end of said other member and provided .with ovalshaped openings to accommodate said balls, formed of two juxtaposed sections.

4. .A universal joint between two members comprising an integral housing connected to one of said members, a plurality of socket units abutting each other and fixedly mounted within said .housing and shaped on the interior thereof to form a spherical seat for the end of the other one of said members, said last-mentioned end formed as a sphere and provided with a plurality of grooves disposed equidistantly around the axis of said member with each groove extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of said spherically shaped end, said socket units also provided .at their abutting surfaces with 4cooperating grooves overlying said first-mentioned grooves, a ball seated in each of .said grooves, a spherically shaped cage intermediate said seat and spherical end of said other member formed of a semi-spherical portion fitted within said first-member and a complementary portion tted over the free end of said second member, a plurality of small ball bearings in both portions of said cage for reducing the friction between said seat and spherical end, and enlarged openings at the junction 0f said cage portions for accommodating said first-mentioned balls.

5. A universal joint between two members comdisposed equidistantly around the axis of said member with each groove extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of said spherically shaped end, said socket units also provided at their abutting surfaces with cooperating grooves overlying said first-mentioned grooves, a ball seated in each of said grooves, a spherically shaped cage intermediate said seat and spherical end of said other member formed of a semi-spherical portion in engagement with said rst member and a complementary portion fitted over the free end of said second member, a plurality of small ball bearings in both portions of said cage for reducing the friction between said seat and sphere ical end and for taking up the end thrust between said member, and slightly elongated openings at the junction of said cage portions for accommodating said first-mentioned balls.

6. A universal joint between two members comprising an externally threaded integral housing connected to one of said members, four annular segments abutting each other and xedly mounted within said housing and shaped on the interior thereof to form a spherical seat for the end of the other one of said members, each of said segments subtending ran angle of 90 on a common radius, said last-mentioned end 'formed as a sphere and provided with a plurality of grooves disposed equidistantly around the axis of said member and extending on each side of the transverse medial diameter of said spherically shaped end, said annular segments also provided at their abutting surfaces with cooperating grooves overj lying said first-mentioned grooves, a ball seated ineach set of grooves and yan interiorly threaded cover` for said housing adjacent to the end of said second member for retaining said annular segments in place and provided with an inwardly directed flange for restricting the relative angular movement between said members.

HARRY H. ABBOTT. 

